Wellness Through Faith, Art, Culture & Storytelling

I'm Not Done by Nadine Hoffman

This work holds my story, so my children can always see where they come from and who I am. It is a reminder that I am still here, still becoming and still not done.

Project Context & Scope

Personal storytelling and healing art project created following diagnosis July 2021 and recovery ♡♡♡ from oligometastatic disease February 2022. Developed on Noongar Boodja (Western Australia) with artistic guidance and cultural influence from Aboriginal artists Tydhon & Kaeto (Iman / Kalkatungu – Queensland). The artwork expresses identity, motherhood, belonging and resilience, shared for the purpose of passing lived experience to future generations.

Responsibilities & Contributions

• Created original large-scale artwork as a personal storytelling process

• Integrated language, stories and experiences connected to family and identity

• Invited children into the creative process to contribute ideas, motifs and colour choices

• Drew inspiration from cultural conversations, Christian teachings and spiritual learnings

• Documented artistic journey as a reflective and therapeutic practice

Objectives

• Use storytelling and art as a healing process after cancer treatment

• Create a visual narrative to pass down to children as part of family identity

• Honour personal experiences, cultural influences and interconnected relationships

• Produce a piece that is emotionally truthful rather than polished or perfected

Sustainability Impact Considerations 

1. Cultural Continuity & Knowledge Sharing: Artwork functions as a living personal archive for my children to understand identity and family history

2. Healing & Wellbeing: Creative practice used as a therapeutic process supporting emotional recovery post-treatment

3. Intergenerational Connection: Children involved as co-creators to strengthen belonging, memory and shared storytelling

4. Ethical Acknowledgement: Aboriginal artists (my children) credited for influence and cultural learning without claiming ownership of cultural knowledge

Methodology

• Elements of my children’s cultural and personal language to embed meaning, memory and lineage

• Visual elements reflecting personal history, identity and transformation

• Use of colour spectrum to represent complexity and emotional range

• The snake motif as a recurring thread across life experiences

• Collaborative contributions from children in shaping composition and symbolism

• Emphasis on rawness, imperfection, honesty and presence

• Large-scale canvas selected to allow physical immersion in the making process

Elements

The elements, the snake or the serpent and colours are inspired by multiple cultures and experiences.

• Aboriginal dreamtime Rainbow Serpent my oldest boy has a strong connection and belief in dreamtime.

• The yogic chakras and elements as at the time of being diagnosed I had just completed my 200hr Yoga Teacher training.

• The serpent from the Bible who I filled full of so much love that he no longer brings fear.

• My youngest son loves snakes, they have always been his favourite animal/reptile.

• The stars and moon because I always tell my boys when they were not with me to just look at the moon because no matter how far away, we are from each other, we will always be connected.

  
  

Outcomes & Key Results

• Completed my first large-scale original artwork "I’m Not Done" (100+ hours, ongoing evolution)

• Developed a personal visual storytelling system meaningful to family and future generations

• Strengthened connection with children through shared creative practice

• Process supported emotional healing and identity reconstruction following cancer recovery

• Artwork now serves as a symbol of resilience, continuation and living presence

• Everyone who saw this piece, thought it was finished. I kept baulking at completing it. I realised that this is where it would stay until the day comes that my journey ends earthside because right now — I'm Not Done!

This is a large piece 1210mm high x 910mm wide. No wonder it took me 100+ hours. I've not counted but I am sure I have over 1 million stars and dots in this piece!

The beginning process for me is to create on small A4 an idea of what I want. I've always loved drawing small intricate details.

I paint on the floor as I feel more at one with the creative process.

I started my painting with the base and my roots (left image), the colour red can represent fear and also grounding. This section represented my land, my roots, the farm I come from with its hills. It shows my human footprints on the beginning of my journey and the animal tracks, the wildflowers on our farm. The element earth with a hundred doors showing how each choice we make will open a different door. Feathers (right image) represent flight and the feeling of wanting to run away but unable to, engulfed by the fire and fear. The colour yellow represents courage and the scatters of red fear. The green circle is my healthy breast surrounded again by the symbol for bird and wanting to fly away along with a hundred crosses engulfing me in God's love. The circles are healthy cells surrounding my chest and breast, with the colour green representing the heart and loving self.

'I'm Not Done' was hung on my wall just before my I shaved my hair as my hair was thinning (I lived in beanies). I had one dose of chemo doxorubicin and that was strong enough for it to all go. The negative was it was brutal and effects your heart and mind. It broke every cell in my body physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and socially. The positives, my cells reset so my skin looked amazing! Plus, I got to build back a better and stronger sense of self. ♡♡♡